BALTIMORE, Md. (April 26, 2015)—The following statement was issued by leaders in Baltimore's faith community, regarding demonstrations over the death of Freddie Gray.

"From the days of our nation’s earliest civil rights sit-ins, Baltimore has a long tradition of peaceful and respectful demonstrations. Together, as leaders of different faiths in our city, we join Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and call for our citizens to honor and continue that history as we pray for the family of Freddie Gray."

Baltimore City’s nationally recognized summer jobs program, YouthWorks, continues to grow in popularity, increasing the need for employment opportunities this summer. In response, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has committed $500,000 and offered a second $500,000 as a challenge grant to be matched by the private sector. These funds will create more than 650 five-week summer jobs for city youth and young adults. But more money is needed in order to offer employment to all youth who have completed their registration.

U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) President Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued the following statement on U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and his Connecting People to Opportunity Initiative. “The U.S. Conference of Mayors commends U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx for his leadership in focusing public attention on how past investment decisions have harmed low-income families and neighborhoods -- people and places that too often have been asked to carry disproportionate burdens in the siting of major transportation facilities.